With three significant projects in the works in northwestern Ontario, our HR team has been hard at work spreading the word that a slew of jobs will become available in the region over the next year. A new wood pellet plant is under construction in Thunder Bay, our sawmill at Ignace is set to restart, and the town of Atikokan will soon have a brand new sawmill.

Craig Batten and Ron Krupa will be responsible for hiring for the new positions, which range from mill managers to foresters to electricians to equipment operators. Participating in eleven job fairs throughout August, Craig and Ron met hundreds of interested candidates and thoroughly enjoyed talking with them about the upcoming opportunities.

“We’ve had a tremendous amount of interest in the towns we’ve visited, and particularly from members of First Nations communities,” says Craig. “We’re very involved in training programs for First Nations youth and it’s important for us to meet them and let them know about the opportunities that are coming up. Many folks, especially the younger generation, are also interested in working for a company with a strong culture of safety and environmental sustainability, so we like to tell them about how we’re doing in those areas too.”

Ron and Craig both say that potential employees are excited about the chance to work in or near the communities where they grew up, instead of relocating to a large urban centre in search of jobs. “Up here, outdoor recreation is right in your backyard. You can go fishing, camping, hiking, boating… in fact, Atikokan is the canoe capital of the world,” Craig explains. “All of these towns are close to lakes,” continues Ron. “You can fish for walleye, pickerel, pike, you name it… no sharks, though!” Craig is quick to point out that beyond the friendly environment, fresh air and endless recreational opportunities, life in northern Ontario is affordable. “It costs $1000 for a service lot to put a modular home on. That’s pretty reasonable!” he says.

We’ll check back in with Craig and Ron later in the fall to see how their hunt for the region’s best talent is going.